White Bone Demon Trail

Chapter 9 Building a Temple
On a hilltop more than ten miles north of Black Stone Village, Bai Wuxiang, dressed in a white robe, sat on a rock, quietly watching the dozens of men working below him.

The men of Black Stone Village are digging and moving various stones and soil out of this small valley, while some women and children are burying many wild animal skeletons in specific pits.

From his vantage point, Bai Wuxiang could clearly see ten distinct pits, each about ten feet wide, in the valley where the hundred-odd people were working. In the nearby village, men were carrying old locust trees they had found in the nearby mountains and forests.

Locust trees gather shade, corpses are attached to the dead, hidden caves are exposed to water, caves sink into the shade, facing north and living in the south, avoiding the sun and gathering the shade.

Bai Wuxiang observed the terrain layout and thought to himself, "This You Junzi is indeed proficient in feng shui and numerology. In that case, my cultivation speed will be greatly improved after the cave is built."

Among the villagers below, a thin woman followed the others, digging and carrying stones. Although she had just given birth less than a month ago, most women in these mountains would only stay in bed for two or three days before getting back to work. Otherwise, the family couldn't afford to support a lazy person who did nothing.

Jin Hua raised her muddy hand and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the cloth on her head. She looked at the old woman next to her, who was over fifty years old, still struggling to carry stones in a bamboo basket, and couldn't help but say, "Grandma Zhao, why don't you take a break?"

Hearing someone speaking to her, the old woman took a breath and laughed, "It's alright, it's good that my old bones can still be of some use."

"Jinhua, the roads are muddy and slippery on rainy days. You just gave birth, so please be careful not to hurt yourself."

"Grandma, don't worry, I'm still young." Jinhua picked up another piece of scrap stone while carrying a bamboo basket and said with a smile, "The second-in-command finally managed to invite our village's god. It's a blessing that he can build a temple for our god and pray for blessings."

"Hehe, that's right. Things are different in the mountains than down below. There are no gods in the village, so life is hard for us." Granny Zhao nodded with a smile, her wrinkles deepening. "My grandson is growing, and he cries from hunger all day long. There's nothing left to eat in the mountains around here."

"Once the temple is repaired and the gods protect us, our village will be able to find more food in these mountains."

Jin Hua smiled and nodded upon hearing this. Her body, which had felt a little tired just now, was full of energy again, and she started walking briskly.

There were many men, women, and children in the valley. Although they were covered in mud and sweat, they still kept smiling as they worked.

They knew they were praying for the village's temple, and once the temple was finished, the village would have more food, and their lives would be better.

In a quaint old house in the village, three people sat on chairs discussing something.

You Junzi sat upright in a somewhat old wooden chair, took a sip of tea from the table, and after catching his breath, asked, "Brother, is there enough food in the village to last until this month?"

The man being questioned scratched his head and sighed heavily, "Sigh, not to be mean, but second brother."

Last month we had already fought with Wulongzhai, and since we lost that place to the north, we dared not go there to look for food anymore. We had enough food, and once summer came, there would be more wild animals in the mountains, which would make things easier.

But you suddenly invited some evil spirit here, and you even went to build temples and caves for it in a big way. All of the more than 300 people in the village, except for the few dozen people guarding the village, went to build temples for it.

Where would we find the time to look for food? Besides, with all the work, we'd naturally need more to eat. I'm afraid the village's food rations won't last until the end of the month.”

“Brother, we are just mortals after all. We’ve been living in the mountains for eight or nine years. Have you forgotten how many brothers have died at the hands of monsters from other villages?” You Junzi advised, “This is Yunze Mountain, no longer Nanzhao below the mountain.”

Over the past few years, I've searched for over a dozen spirits, but they were either too weak and useless, or too ferocious and hard to change their demonic habits. Now that I've finally found this one, I really can't let this opportunity slip by!

Not long ago, Tiger King Village sent word that all land within a hundred li of their stronghold would be theirs. If that happens, most other villages will have to look for food elsewhere. We, Black Stone Village, have no "god," and sooner or later we will be destroyed, our people wiped out, and captured by other villages to be eaten!

"Second brother is right."

The thin, dark-skinned woman who had remained silent until now agreed, "If it weren't for the methods my second brother left behind when we fought the people from Wulong Village last time, I'm afraid I wouldn't have made it back. The methods of the mountain spirits are unpredictable and strange. We only know some martial arts, so it's really hard for us to last long."

"No matter how tough things get, it'll only be this short period. At worst, we'll all eat grass and gnaw on tree roots. Didn't we get through it like this before we had military rations?"

Seeing that both of his men had said this, the burly-looking man could only lower his head helplessly. "I'm a rough man, all I can do is use my strength. You two are both smart people, so since you've both said so, I can't say anything more."

However, I still want to see this spirit and see if it truly has the power to protect our village.

“Brother, spirits and monsters are often eccentric and have different temperaments than ordinary people. We have only just met, so it would be best not to provoke them easily. Let’s talk about this after we have more time,” You Junzi advised.

"No, what if it turns out to be something with no real power later on? Wouldn't we have wasted our time?" The man shook his head in disagreement.

"Gah..."

Just then, a black crow suddenly flew into the large house from outside, hovered in mid-air, flapped its wings, and suddenly emitted a plume of black smoke.

A figure gradually emerged from the swirling black mist, appearing quite strange.

The scene startled the three people in the chairs, who stared intently at the black mist before them.

Yu Junzi nervously reached into her sleeve and tightly gripped something.

Just as the three were on edge, the black mist suddenly dissipated, and a handsome man dressed in white robes stepped out, smiling as he said, "The three of you, Bai Wuxiang has come to see you."

Upon seeing him appear, You Junzi visibly breathed a sigh of relief, withdrew his hand from his sleeve, and said with a smile, "Big brother, third sister, this is our village's Lord Wuxiang."

He smiled, cupped his hands in greeting, and explained to the two men, emphasizing the word "sir".

The dark-skinned, thin woman understood his intention and clasped her hands in greeting, saying, "I am Zhao Lengxiang, the third leader of Black Stone Village, and I greet Lord Wuxiang!"

The burly man wasn't really simple-minded. Seeing that his second brother and third sister were calling him that, he could only awkwardly cup his hands and say, "I am Li Yiguang, the chief of Black Stone Village. Greetings, Lord Wuxiang."

Bai Wuxiang took in the expressions and actions of the others, and politely raised his hand, saying, "The three of you need not flatter me. We each get what we need. The people below can call me Wuxiang God for peace of mind. You are not ignorant commoners; you know that I am just a mountain spirit or a wild monster."

I seek a place for cultivation, and you seek to avoid harm from spirits; this is a mutually beneficial arrangement, and from now on, I will be your neighbor.”

You Junzi quickly replied, "You're too kind, sir. From now on, you will be the god of our Black Stone Village, and we will serve you with all our might."

"Hehe, the cave dwelling is not yet completed, so I cannot use my magic. I came to ask how long it will take to finish." Bai Wuxiang did not accept his praise and asked directly.

"Well, the entire Black Stone Village has been mobilized, as you can see, sir. However, this place of gathering yin energy will indeed take some time, at least another ten days or so," You Junzi replied cautiously.

"Yes, ten days it is. When the temple is completed and opened, I will appear. You send people to place the remains of wild beasts in front of the temple, and I will use magic to transform them into sentient beings. After wearing them, you will be protected from the harassment of ordinary evil spirits. But there are only ten pieces, after all, my cultivation is still shallow and I am unable to protect too many."

After Bai Wuxiang finished speaking, he prepared to turn around and leave.

But after taking a couple of steps, he seemed to remember something and turned back to the three of them, saying, "Oh right, I forgot to tell you. I wiped out a hideout at the foot of Wulongzhai Mountain called Xiaoqu Village. After they find out, you'd better be careful not to get revenge from the people of Wulongzhai."

After saying that, he turned around and transformed into a cloud of rolling black mist once again, from which a black raven flew out and left the large house.

Upon hearing Bai Wuxiang's words, You Junzi immediately cupped his hands and said, "Respectfully seeing you off, sir!"

Seeing his reaction, Li Yiguang couldn't help but say, "Second brother, he's just a mountain spirit or monster, why are you so bothered by this..."

"Brother, do you think I'm taking this person too seriously?" You Junzi sighed. "If these flattering words were enough to win his favor and make him willing to help us in times of crisis, would you still think these formalities are unnecessary?"

"What if...it doesn't work?" Li Yiguang muttered.

“How can you know it’s useless if you don’t do it? Even if it’s useless, it’s just a waste of breath.” You Junzi said with a solemn expression, “This creature’s intelligence far surpasses that of ordinary spirits and monsters, even surpassing those centuries-old demons.”

He just said he slaughtered Xiaoqu Village, which has over a hundred people. The sheer number of people there is enough that most spirits and monsters dare not approach. This shows that this person is no weakling.

Brother, never underestimate him again. From now on, he will be our Black Stone Village's unsung guardian!

As for whether he is truly a god, that's a secret known only to the three of us.

"Well, so be it. Second brother, you are a capable man praised by His Highness Prince Yi back then. I will listen to you." Li Yishan's expression changed slightly, and he nodded in agreement.

……

A black crow spread its wings and flew over from the hilltop, landing on Bai Wuxiang's shoulder.

The "he" in Black Stone Village just now was merely a manifestation of a wisp of demonic power applied to Xuan Ya; such magic can only fool mortals.

Bai Wuxiang was very clear about his relationship with Black Stone Village; only long-term interests could maintain peace.

Although the three leaders of Black Stone Village were not ignorant mountain folk, they were still just ordinary people.

You Junzi must possess some means to subdue evil spirits, and I will be careful to guard against it.

After all, as a White Bone Demon, if she dared to completely trust humans, she would probably turn into a real skeleton sooner or later.

Even if You Junzi possesses some formidable abilities, he is ultimately just a mortal. Decades later, he will die of old age.

As for himself, as long as he doesn't experience any calamities, his lifespan will be far longer than that of ordinary people. Once the three leaders of Black Stone Village have all reached the end of their lives, then he, Bai Wuxiang, will truly become the God of No Form in the hearts of everyone in Black Stone Village!
Bai Wuxiang looked at his unfinished cave dwelling, located north of Black Stone Village, more than ten miles away from the village. Clearly, the other party did not dare to truly trust him and had brought such a monster into the village.

Dark clouds covered the mountain, and after a long period of oppressive silence, a light drizzle finally began to fall from the sky.

The mountain rain washed away the muddy mud. Bai Wuxiang stood in the rain, and the rainwater would spontaneously spread out when it touched his robes.

Because his body is filled with death energy and yin energy, ordinary water and fire, such as rootless water, cannot get close to him.

But when it landed on the mortals in the valley below, it quickly soaked their clothes.

On the muddy ground, the mountain people continued their busy work, their straw sandals sinking into the mud and water, leaving footprints of varying depths. In this desolate mountain village, they were building a temple that was gradually taking shape with their lives.

As day turned to night, the group of people at the foot of the mountain continued their work. Bai Wuxiang, on the mountaintop, kept a close watch on them. He worried that You Junzi might have planted some hidden tricks or set up some feng shui secrets. After all, he was not proficient in feng shui and could only rely on his extraordinary instincts to sense if something was amiss.

"Clap~"

A thud was heard as a figure, overwhelmed by the weight, collapsed headfirst into the muddy water.

"Rumble..."

Thunder rumbled, and blinding flashes of lightning streaked across the sky.

Bai Wuxiang, perched atop the mountain, turned his head slightly, sensing the scent of death.

Grandma Zhao collapsed to the ground, struggling to lift her head from the muddy water. She hadn't eaten anything for two days.

She understood that for a frail old woman like herself, living in this world was a heavy burden on her family. In other villages, she would have long been sent out to be offered to the gods, or thrown out of the village to end her life, or perhaps become food in some villages.

"Grandma! Grandma! What's wrong?"

"Help! Granny Zhao looks like she's dying!"

She heard calls, hurried footsteps, and anxious, worried questions all around her. The voices of her relatives and neighbors gradually faded away.

She was lifted up from the muddy ground and saw her seven or eight-year-old grandson standing beside her with tears streaming down his face. She was surrounded by people in the muddy rain, and everyone seemed to have tears on their faces, but she no longer wanted to know whether it was rain or tears.

"Grandma, what's wrong? Wake up, wake up!"

She struggled to open her eyes and saw the worry on her eldest son's face. She knew her son was a filial son.

"Grandma, are you in pain somewhere? Or is there something you want to tell us?"

The voice came from her daughter-in-law, whose face showed worry, but she knew that she was the one in the family who most wanted her to leave this world as soon as possible.

(End of this chapter)